6 day old chick dying? Anything I can do to help?

[Newtohens]

I think that one of my 6 day old chicks is dying. She is a little GL Wyandotte, and she is the smallest of the group. She was fine yesterday and this morning before I left for work, but this afternoon when I got home she seems very off. She looks like she is falling asleep while she is standing there, she keeps closing her eyes and is definitely not as active as the others. She is real lethargic, has heavier breathing and seems to fall asleep in my hand, in the brooder, anywhere she is, she just isn't moving hardly at all. I did see her drink a little, but that is it. She did have a little crusted up poop on her vent that my wife cleaned off this afternoon, but other than that she was completely fine last night. Has anyone experienced this before? Is there anything I can check or do to help bring her back? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[trunkman]

I had the very same thing happen to me this weekend and the outcome was not good, I lost two chicks yesterday, they both had a bit of pasty butt and started to show signs of slowing down and sleepyness. I hope your chick does better than mine did.

I don't mean to bumb you out, but expect it.

 

[MissJenny]

Do you have children's liquid poly-vy-sol vitamins WITHOUT iron. If so put a drop on her beak or a few drops in her water and get her to drink. (Use a drink cap.) Do you have hardboiled or scrambled eggs? Yogurt? Just a bite or two will go a long way to perking her up. What's the temperature in your brooder? It should be between 90* and 95*.

Let us know,
Jenny

 

[Newtohens]

Thanks for the advice. I don't have any vitamins, but I'll give the yogurt a shot. Does it have to be plain yogurt? I only have strawberry yogurt and it has vitamin a & d added, is that ok? Also, she isn't really pecking anything, so how do I get her to taste the yogurt? Do I dip her beak?

 

[bantybev]

I just had the same thing happen to one of my precious little silkies this weekend. She was fine Sat morning. We worked on the coop most of the day and the sun had warmed the room the babies were in more than I expected. The brooder was 102 when I checked on them at noon and raised the heat lamp. By Sat evening my chick was doing the same thing. Lethargic, falling asleep standing up, wasn't moving around like the others. She wasn't eating or drinking. I gave her 2 drops infant vitamins, (without iron) mixed with a half teaspoon of water by dropperful. You have to be careful using a dropper that they don't asperate the water, don't force it, dribble on side of beak and they will usually open up and sip the water down. I woke up several times during the night Sat night to check on her and always the same, just standing up trying to sleep, not moving looking weak. I thought for sure she would be gone by the morning. The good news is....Sunday morning she was eating, drinking and starting to run around and play. She is fine now. I am still not sure if the rise in temp of the brooder did it, or she was fighting some kind of chicken illness, but I am so glad she pulled through.
I hope you have the same outcome with your baby. Good luck....try the vitamins if you can.

 

[carolinasculpture]

Hi! I had one like this, too. It is a BR. Someone in this forum mentioned that she could have worms and suggested a dewormer. I got one at the place where I got the chicks. It is a two day treatment in their water. I started the treatment Friday afternoon and ended it Sunday afternoon. I am not going to say that my little BR ( the smallest in the group as is yours) is 100% better, but she is up and around much more. She isn't just climbing into my lap and going to sleep. She is self feeding and doing much better. I am hoping the improvement continues! Thanks to the suggestion of an experienced person who wrote in! Good luck with yours!!!